


Like Real People Do

by Uriel_Ignatius121



Series: Love Like a Hurricane [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Clones, Established Shance... Rather Kurance., Existential Crisis, Implied Sheith, Lance has gone rogue, Langst, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Running Away, Slightly Out Of Character, The clone is still called Shiro, This was written before Season 6 aired, What if Clone!Shiro was redeemable, What if Real!Shiro didnt die, What if Scenario, shangst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-05-08 07:33:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14689443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uriel_Ignatius121/pseuds/Uriel_Ignatius121
Summary: The pod is still functioning, the person inside was still healing, but will be finish in just a few ticks.Lance let's go of the breath he didn't realize he was holding as he sits next to the pod.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Lance mutters as tears starts to cloud his vision again.Those were the last words he said as he bid goodbye to both Red and Blue Lion as he exited the hangars for what Lance hopes to be the last time.He couldn't stay there anymore, he just couldn't. They wouldn't understand unless they were in his position.They didn't need him anymore.They didn't need them anymore.((This was written pre-S06 and sorry about the messy tags - I highly recommend rereading from the start. ))





	1. Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips

**Author's Note:**

> my first Langst fic. whoop. i have succumbed.
> 
> Mostly inspired by the song of the same name. Music is really inspirational and can just stab you in the heart with emotion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re all I have left, Shiro…” Lance was crying again. He watches Shiro’s breathing slow down as cryostasis starts to set in.“Please, please, please forgive me… because… b-because I am all you have left as well…”
> 
>  
> 
> Lance has managed to get out and get far away, with some really special cargo on board.

_=========================================_

_I had a thought, dear_

_However scary_

_About that night_

_The bugs and the dirt_

_Why were you digging?_

_What did you bury_

_Before those hands pulled me_

_From the earth?_

_=========================================_

 

.

.

Lance was able to find a suitable planet to hide for a while.

As far as he knows, this area was uninhabited - no signs of life for miles and miles away.

 

He parks the stolen cargo ship underneath some tall trees.

 

In times like these, he wishes that he had Pidge's brains and customize this ride on the fly - cloaking abilities, boosters…  but the unassuming, unremarkable cargo ship will do for now.

 

It was only a matter of time until they find him. This star system has barely enough planets, and Lance doesn't have wormhole creating capabilities or access to a ship created from trans-reality metal - well, not anymore.

 

 

Lance turns off the ship and steps out for a bit to survey the area closer.

He made sure to hide in the thickest, densest part of the forest. The convenient green color of the cargo ship and the leaves will do for a basic camouflage.

 

 

He steps back inside the ship to reassess the condition of the stolen cryopod and its patient. Lance fiddles a bit with the main controls, he may not understand all the techno-babble, but he has been inside these a few times too many and is able to get the general gist of the readings.

 

The pod is still functioning, the person inside was still healing, but will be finished in just a few ticks.

 

 

Lance let's go of the breath he didn't realize he was holding as he sits next to the pod.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Lance mutters as tears start to cloud his vision again.

 

Those were the last words he said as he bid goodbye to both Red and Blue Lion as he exited the hangars for what Lance hopes to be the last time.

 

He couldn't stay there anymore, he just couldn't. They wouldn't understand unless they were in his position.

 

 

They didn't need _him_ anymore.

 

They didn't need _them_ anymore.

 

 

The cryopod opens with a loud hiss which awakens Lance from his reverie.

 

“Where…  where am I? W-what happened-” Shiro murmurs as he tries to stand up, but Lance stops him. “Lance? Is that you?”

“Shiro, Shiro, sweetheart…  I’m here,” Lance cries with happiness.

 

_At least he recognizes me… Thank the stars he remembers me…_

 

“Just rest a bit more,” Lance insists as he gently runs his hands through Shiro’s hair as he lays him back down in the open cryopod.

 

Shiro, with half-lidded eyes, turns to Lance.

“Lance? Are you crying?” He tries to say as he stifled a yawn, “Are you okay, babe?”

 

“I’m okay now…” Lance can’t stop his tears from flowing, but he had the biggest smile on his face - he couldn't help it, Shiro called him ‘babe’. Shiro remembers-

 

 

_This Shiro remembers that they are together…_

_That they are in love._

 

 

“I'm okay, we’ll be okay… ” Lance feels cold metal fingers wipe away his tears. Lance takes the metal hand into his and kisses them, each knuckle and finger.

“Go back to sleep, Shiro…” Lance carefully repositions Shiro on the makeshift bed that was the cryopod.

 

It was obvious that Shiro was still too tired, too weak.

 

“I'll explain everything when you wake up, I promise.”

“Just a couple of doboshes…  wake me up, okay?” Shiro gives him a small, sincere smile. Lance nods, he can never say no to that face.

 

“Can I have a kiss goodnight, babe?” Shiro whispers, he was just starting to fall asleep.

 

Lance leans over and kisses him sweetly.

Shiro reciprocates with what little energy he had left, he closes his eyes and falls back to sleep.

 

Lance carefully closes the cryopod and reactivates it.

 

“I p-promise…  I’ll wake you up when I find out how I'm going to explain all of this to you… without you hating me by the end of it,” Lance whispers into the surface of the cooling cryopod.

 

 

“I need you, Shiro…  now more than ever.”

 

 

Lance will need to wake Shiro up eventually.

 

He needs Shiro. Shiro is a survivor.  He is a skilled fighter and he always knew what to do… calm, cool, and collected.

Everything Lance isn't, wasn’t, will never be.

 

_What am I now?_

 

A Paladin who abandoned his Lion.

A dirty traitor who abandoned his friends.

 

 

_But fuck it all… Shiro is worth it all. Worth even more than all of this._

 

 

“You’re all I have left, Shiro…” Lance was crying again. He watches Shiro’s breathing slow down as cryostasis starts to set in.“Please, please, please forgive me… because… b-because I am all you have left as well…”

 

This brings Lance back to his main problem: How to tell Shiro that…  he’s actually not Shiro.

 

* * *

 

That during the last fight with Haggar, she was able to take control of him…  possess him.

 

As her personal puppet, he fought all of them - Paladins of Voltron, Blades, and Galran soldiers - almost effortlessly.

 

 

It took careful planning from Lotor, Allura, and Kolivan to find a way to capture Haggar and get her to undo her wicked spells.

 

 

They fought Shiro in a heated battle, neutralize his weaponized arm and take him down in a way that won't seriously injure their beloved friend.

 

 

With Haggar finally imprisoned and all her machinations either destroyed or nullified, it was only a matter of time for Shiro to be released from cryostasis, in hopes that he was back to normal.

 

While Lance and Keith stayed by Shiro’s side in the Med Bay, it was Pidge and Hunk who ventured through the reclaimed Galra ship that was turned into Haggar’s base.

 

It was in an innocuous locked room where they found another Shiro, hooked up to a breathing apparatus, floating in a tube filled with liquid.

Despite all the confusion, terror, and panic - they crack open the tube and immediately bring this other Shiro back to the Castle of Lions and straight into the Med Bay.

 

While the Shiros are both in cryostasis, awaiting their fate. Lotor and Allura scour all of Haggar’s notes and research, eventually stumbling upon something called Operation: Kuron.

 

And much like everyone feared, the Shiro that Keith rescued floating in space was a clone - a puppet created by Haggar to spy and then use to destroy the Paladins of Voltron - that the Shiro they have rescued now was the real one.

 

Once released from the cryopod, Shiro awakens in a panic, missing his metal arm and with unclear memories, but he eventually calms down once he realized that he was back in the Castle.

Shiro starts to explain that he can barely remember anything, his last clear memory was fighting Zarkon - he had the black bayard in his hand, there was a flash of light and then just darkness.

 

While Shiro was telling his story, Lance couldn't help but notice how closely Shiro was holding onto Keith’s hand like a lifeline.

 

Lotor and Allura immediately call for a meeting.

Keith volunteers to stay behind to fill in Shiro regarding all that has happened in the past year.

Lance remembers how his heart ached then.

 

Allura starts the meeting with a cold statement:

_‘What do we do with the Shiro clone?’_

 

Arguments from everyone starts spilling out.

The clone cannot be trusted, there is vital information that we can extract from the clone, the clone is still a threat to us…

 

 _‘Clone or not… Shiro is still Shiro.’_ Lance voiced out.

 

Everyone temporarily forgot that when ‘Shiro’ reclaimed his position as the Black Paladin, it was Lance who was in Red, the Second-in-Command.

Everyone temporarily forgot that despite a difficult beginning, the two bonded and became closer.

Everyone temporarily forgot that they started dating, fell in love, and were very happy with each other.

 

Shiro and Lance…  even Keith gave his approval and blessing.

 

But Reality made a wake-up call, the Shiro that Lance has gotten close with, the Shiro that loved him was a clone, a weaponized puppet created by Haggar to destroy them.

 

For Lance’s sake, the clone Shiro was to remain in cryostasis until further notice.

 

Shiro was given a full bill of health and was now properly reunited with his team. He also finally gets a formal introduction to the New Galran Emperor, Lotor.

With another quick briefing regarding the current events of the Galran Empire, Shiro claims that he was ready to be the team leader again, to be the Black Paladin.

Keith, who was by Shiro’s side the whole time, never letting go of his hand, announces that he was returning to the Castle of Lions and he was finished with all his missions with the Blade.

 

Everyone was happy, but a bit concerned - specifically to Lance’s silence.

It finally occurred to them that it was back to playing Musical Chairs with the Lions due to both Shiro and Keith ready to return to their duties as Paladins… and the only one can be the Black Paladin.

 

 _‘I don't think I can pilot anything right now… much more be a Paladin of Voltron…’_ Lance remembers saying before he locked himself in the hallway where the cryopods were kept…  where one cryopod was currently occupied by the love of his life whose days are numbered.

 

Lance fears that once whatever information _his_ Shiro had was extracted, he would be of no use and will be disposed of.

 

_‘You’re all I have left… ’_

 

It was at that very moment that Lance decided that he was done with it all.

 

In the dead of the night, Lance steals a shuttle pod and one occupied cryopod. He flies to the nearest satellite and leaves the shuttle there before hijacking the nearest vehicle, which happened to be a cargo ship.

 

* * *

 

“... And here we are now, I have been on the run since then,” Lance concludes as he wraps himself with a blanket, resting his head on the cryopod next to him.

 

“ Don't hate me, Shiro…” Lance prays as he feels exhaustion finally takes over him, “Please let me be selfish this one time…”

 

Lance closes his eyes, letting the dull hum of the cryopod lull him to sleep,  to dream of happier times with his Shiro.

.

.

 

=========================================

_I could not ask you where you came from_

_I could not ask you, neither could you_

_Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips_

_We could just kiss like real people do_

 

_-Like Real People Do by Hozier_

=========================================

.

.


	2. Eyes Always Seeking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past year in small snippets from the real Shiro's point of view and further thoughts from Lance + a bonding moment between Keith and Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter update for now - dramatic dialogue isn't my forte so that's messing me up. Half of this chapter happens a few days before the events of chapter 1.
> 
> More Author's notes: Will not venture more into Haggar/Honerva and Lotor Drama or technicalities of countering Corrupted Altean Alchemy/Magic/Science. Also - even though personally I have conflicting feelings in regards to Blueberry Legolas, for the sake of plot: Lotor is a trust-worthy ally but will destroy Clone!Shiro if he becomes an immediate threat to the Paladins due to being a creation of Haggar.

 

.

.

 

“-- Stage 2 of Operation Kuron is in progress…”

“Excellent. Keep monitoring the Source, keep him alive. Prepare the--”

 

*****

 

“ -- Has fallen! We have orders to relocate base of operations at once!”

“Hey!Hey! Careful with that one! It’s a work in progress!!”

 

*****

 

“ -- tron are attacking! Evacuate immediately!”

“What about years worth of research? Of Operation--”

“Are these really worth more than your life!?!”

“Leave it! Leave it All!!”

 

*****

 

“ -- God! Oh my god! Hunk! Hunk! Get in here quick!!!”

 

“What’s wrong, Pidge-- Oh Crow… Is that? No… it can’t…”

 

“Scanners says he’s still alive - We’re getting him out of here! I’m calling the Castle to get a cryopod ready...”

 

*****

 

“... it was called Operation: Kuron, it had been initiated about 2 years ago-”

“So basically since he was captured by the Galra-”

“Most likely a back-up plan wrapped in an experiment-”

 

“Cloning… even Altea’s technological advances never successfully accomplished that.”

 

“B-but that means… the Shiro that we’ve been with for the past year or so has been a-”

“That could explain how easily he became under Haggar’s control! He was a clone all along!”

 

“And this Shiro… is our Shiro, locked away for a whole year-”

“Approximately, according to data records…”

 

“That’s another year he can’t get back, another year of suffering because of the Galra, of Haggar’s little schemes. And we didn’t know--”

 

“How could we, Keith? She planted a perfect little trap for us, Haggar’s little toy soldier in the form of a clone, knowing that we would trust him immediately by face value alone…”

“She knew that you would trust the Black Paladin’s duplicate immediately, he would be back in your ranks, see all your plans - be involved with planning-”

 

“Could she have manipulated Shiro through all that? Every time that Shiro-  Lotor, could she have a hand in the Zarkon’s defeat?”

“Zarkon’s defeat? No, that was not her plan. She went through all that trouble of keeping him alive… but I believe she did all she can to see that I did not perish so easily - a mother’s love and all…”

 

*****

 

As the cryopod door’s opened with a loud hiss, Shiro - the real Shiro - was immediately transferred to his room to rest further.

 

Lance and Keith stayed by his bedside while the others continue their investigation regarding Operation: Kuron. Lotor and Allura looking through Haggar’s notes and what remains of her lab while in the meantime Hunk, Pidge, and Coran scan the data records of the pod that Shiro was kept in for the past year while also keeping an eye on the Shiro clone still in Cryostasis.

 

“Lance…” Keith called to him from the foot of Shiro’s bed. He finally had time to change from his Blades uniform and is now in his casual clothes. “Talk, Lance… You’re normally not this quiet-”

 

“I-I don’t know anymore, Keith...” Lance’s voice sounded rough and hoarse. He was sitting by Shiro’s head, playing with his now long hair. “A couple of quintants ago I was so happy and in love… Being with Shiro, loving Shiro - being **_loved_ ** by Shiro… I f-felt unstoppable, Keith.”

 

Tears were slowly making their way down Lance’s cheek. His lips quivered as he talked, his heart ached as he looked at Shiro’s sleeping form.

 

This Shiro was his hero - the Shiro he met on Earth.

The Shiro who initially led them to their first victory against Zarkon.

Their strong, steadfast leader who did his best to boost their morale and get them to cooperate and get along.

The Shiro who pushed them to be their best, with his strong but gentle nature, who was easy to get along with but was also slightly intimidating.

 

Lance loves Shiro. But he wasn’t _in_ love with _this_ Shiro.

 

“Despite all that was going on, everything was perfect - b-but now… I don’t-” Lance’s shoulders were shaking, quaking due to his grief. “I-I don’t know what to believe anymore… I-I don’t know what’s real anymore, Keith…”

 

Lance could feel Keith grab a hold of his shoulder, asking him permission to hug him, to console him… but the only person Lance wanted to be held by right now is still asleep on the bed next to him...

 

- ** _No._**

 

He was still in cryostasis, being locked away in a holding pod.

 

Lance gives a quick nod of his head and he feels Keith's strong arms wrap themselves around him - but he feels no comfort in it.

The warmth was only a shallow feeling and the numbing cold inside overshadowed it.

 

Lance forces himself to calm down. _Deep Breathes._

 

Keith can feel Lance’s shaking subside.

He holds him tighter, hoping that he has enough strength to stop Lance from breaking down even further, stop him from shattering into a million pieces.

Keith knows he is not the one Lance wants,  but he is the one Lance needs right now.

 

“Lance,” Keith whispers his name softly, “We’ll get through this together - as a team, as a family… Everything is going to be alright, okay. Haggar is locked up, she can’t touch us or Shiro again - and Shiro… Shiro is back for good, we got him back Lance, the real him…” Keith keeps talking as he rubs soothing circles on Lance’s back, but the other man remains unmoving except for his heavy breathing.

 

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of…” Lance whispers between his sobs.

 

.

.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading - This series won't be too long because I will do just enough to tell this story.  
> This and the maybe??? 2 chapters after this are set in the events leading to chapter 1.  
> Thanks also for so much support and love to this little idea of mine!
> 
> Comments and Suggestions are always welcome!


	3. I had a thought, dear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro wakes up.
> 
> Keith and Lance try to fix the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short update for this. I do have some certain scenes in mind for this fic, but I don't have a clear ending yet.
> 
> I changed my mind about a lot of scenes because of Season 6 - because I wrote like a huge chunk of this prior to that and have been editing it heavily.

 

.

.

 

Lance watches Shiro intently, hoping that his episode did not disturb the poor man’s rest too much.

Shiro continues to sleep.

 

The Healing Pod did its job.

There was some color returning to Shiro, who was far too pale when Hunk got him out of that tube he was in.

Shiro also looked a little smaller.

A year submerged in an oversized test tube caused some loss of muscle mass… and only God knows if there were other side effects.

 

Coran read them the results of various scans, Shiro should be fine in theory, but still…

 

His breathing was even, his face relaxed and he grew a bit of a beard and his hair was long - much like how he looked when Keith found him almost a year ago… Rather, found the _other_ him.

 

That damned Galran arm was already removed though.

Lance felt something in his heart as he sees this Shiro finally back in his bed, in the Castle of Lions, among friends… among their family.

 

This Shiro was finally back home - home with them.

But this Shiro was not _his_ Shiro.

 

 

This was not the Shiro that kissed him under the glow of 2 moons on the planet Beta Tal-ah.

This was not the Shiro he taught how to dance in the hangars under the watchful gazes of Red and Black.

This was not the Shiro who helped him train every night and showered him with praises and kisses after.

 

This was not the Shiro he promised himself to, he promised to share a life with.

 

A small whimpering noise escaped Shiro’s lips, his face in a grimace as if suddenly in pain.

“Shiro…” Lance whispered. Both Keith and himself are alert, hovering over their friend’s waking form.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Shiro’s body started jerking wildly and shot up like a bullet.

Lance and Keith immediately try to push him back to lay down on his bed in case he hurts himself, untangling him from his sheets.

Both of them calling out his name, saying soothing words.

 

Shiro’s eyes were barely registering his surroundings, looking around every inch of the room like a cornered animal.

 

He finally notices the presence of the other two Paladins and his mouth starts opening and closing as if trying to form words.

“K-Keith? Lance? I-Is that really you?” Shiro had a manic looking smile on his face, unsure if he was trapped in a cruel dream or a sweet nightmare.

 

His voice was hoarse from being unused.

 

He looks down at his hand.

Shiro feels numb at the sight of only his left hand, the one made of alien tech no longer there.

 

He opens and closes his hands, moving fingers individually.

His “souvenir” from the Galra no longer attached to his body.

  

Keith and Lance give Shiro some breathing space seeing that he seems coherent enough.

 

 

_Am I finally awake…_

 

 

Shiro reaches out, his fingers barely touching the cheek of the person nearest to him, who happened to be Keith. Fingers touch warm flesh.

Shiro slowly caresses the cheek of the man in front of him, brushing away messy black hair as he looks in awe that there is an actual person, in front of him now.

He can’t remember the last time he has seen a person, just blurry shapes through a foggy barrier.

 

_Not a dream… this is not a dream._

 

“Keith…  Keith…”

Such a familiar face, a face Shiro has known from before all of this-

 

Before Voltron…

Before Kerberos...

 

Odd purple eyes become shiny with unshed tears stare back at him, his lips quirk at the sides - unsure if they should frown or smile.

Keith’s face looks fuller now - he was finally eating right - but there are a few new scars, a small cut on his lip and brow.

His hair is definitely longer and more wild than usual. 

 

Shiro then looks over at Lance who was standing beside Keith with a sad expression on his face.

 

Lance looked less lanky, more muscular now than what Shiro remembers.

His hair was a bit longer as well, it curled more at the ends.

He had a slight stubble on his chin as well as what looks like a burn mark on his cheek that goes down his neck.

 

Shiro doesn’t recall how those scars came to be.

 

Lance was always so meticulous about his looks, he wouldn’t let his face be scarred so easily.

 

_How long was I gone?_

“How long- how… I-I don’t...” Shiro’s voice was cracking, his words getting lost between his harsh breathing. He looks back down on his hands on his lap.

 

 

His lungs ache, his head hurt - _What happened to him? I can’t… I can’t-_

 

“Zarkon… did we-” Shiro can barely remember that fight.

  

“Can you tell us what you remember?” one of them asked, Shiro is not sure who.

 

He remembers being in the cockpit of Black Lion, he remembers how solid the black bayard felt in his hands.

He remembers feeling the collective energy and power from the other Paladins as they charge an attack against Zarkon, feeling everyone’s thoughts merge together - moving as one.

 

Then… darkness.

Shiro relays as such to Keith and Lance who listen carefully. Keith sits right next to Shiro, arms around him rubbing soothing circles on his tense shoulders.

Shiro places his head on Keith’s shoulder, arms around the other’s abdomen, craving the warmth radiating from him.

Lance was sitting at the other end of the bed, a gentle hand moving up and down in a hypnotic manner from his knee to his lower calf.

 

“T-that happened about a year ago, Shiro…” Keith whispers softly, unsure how the other would react. He was looking at the floor, avoiding the silent horror that was appearing on Shiro’s face.

 

“A-a year?”

 

_NotagainNotagainNotagainNotagainNotanotheryearWhathappenedIcan’tremember_

 

Shiro closes his eyes tight, trying to block all other stimuli, forcing himself to remember.

He feels tremors throughout his body like a deep, cold, chill emerged from his core.

His hand was now pulling on his long hair.

 

He has to remember something.

 

“N-no…  it can't be a year…  Not again--”

 

 _Ican’trememberNotagainNotagainWhathappenedtomeAwholeayearIcan’t_ \--

 

In the darkness, glimpses appear.

 

Memories of his imprisonment, of spilled blood, screams of pain and cheering crowds were intermixed with flashes of light and sensations of pain.

Memories of garbled voices and foggy silhouettes.

 

_Where these memories from before or-- Nonononono- I can’t tell anymore-_

 

He can't breathe. He can't move. He feels like he’s drowning.

So cold…

 

_What happened?What happened?What happened?What happened?What happened?_

 

His throat hurts.

His face feels wet and hot.

He must be screaming.

He must be crying.

 

_How pathetic…_

 

Two sets of arms are wrapped around him.

Two sets of soothing voices.

 

“Shiro, it’s alright… we got you--”

“Breathe, Shiro…  deep breathes--”

 

_Deep…_

 

_In, 1-2-3-4-5, Release…_

_And repeat…_

 

He feels a prick on his neck and then he was asleep once again.

 

. 

.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy this.
> 
> My laptop is still dead and my internet is wonky. Everything is being typed on my phone. Yey.


	4. Why were you digging? What did you bury?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a couple of months, Shiro wakes up.
> 
> Flashback to the past to fill in the gaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup... It has been a while.
> 
> I have been having trouble with this story and how I'm going to tell it.  
> It has been taking a while because nothing of this is set in stone.
> 
> SO! Heads up that the first half is set in the Present(?) while the latter half is a continuation of the previous chapter.
> 
> does that make sense? yeah?
> 
> Thank you for your patience!
> 
> \--- the shifting POVs and jumping around the timeline might be a common thing.

 

.

.

 

Shiro feels the cold air escape the pod with a loud hissing sound.

 

He slowly awakens, his mind recollecting the past events leading up to this point in time.

 

His heartbeat races as he remembers the fight.

 

 

 

 

 

**_His metal arm clashing against two swords blocking them from hitting him._ **

  


**_One that was of a curved shape, made of a dark metal... Luxite?_ **

**_Keith’s blade._**  


**_The other was longer, heavier and made of red and white metal._ **

**_Lance’s bayard in its Altean broadsword form._ **

  


**_The two swords scatter to the ground, one reverting into a smaller dagger and the other returning into the more dormant form._ **

 

 

 

 

He remembers throwing Keith against the wall and grabbing Lance by the neck, choking him.

 

He remembers Lance's face struggling to breathe, his hands scratching and hitting his metal arm in futility.

Shiro remembers his damaged arm glowing purple and the smell of burnt flesh.

 

The memory of Lance’s agonizing screams and the image of a large burn on his neck and cheek forces Shiro to sit up. 

Vertigo hits him like the truck, but he fights it.

  


Shiro finally gets a good look at his surroundings because he is definitely no longer in the Castle of Lions.

He wonders why he never noticed the change of scenery before. Was he that too out of it earlier?

 

_No…_

  


Shiro just saw Lance’s tear-streaked face and that was all he was thinking of despite the haze of tiredness from being in the pod.

  


Shiro's eyes adjust to the light as he assesses where he was. He was most definitely in a ship of moderate size, spacious - a cargo ship. The interior was dark green in color with some rusting in certain areas. The ship looked a bit banged up with mismatched tech thrown around.

There were a few boxes stacked against the wall by the pod. An alien language was written on the sides - one that Shiro swears he has seen before. Part of the Coalition maybe?

He carefully exits the pod by bracing himself against the cool metallic sides, with both of his hands he lifts himself up. Lifting one leg after the other until he was totally out of the pod and leaning against the stacked boxes.

 

Shiro notices that his metal arm looks startlingly different.

There are signs of damage around the elbow joint like it was horribly dented and then opened up. There were some areas that look like they were welded together with newer panels.

Gone was its sleek and solid grey look from before - now there were panels of pristine white at odd placements.

 

His knees feel a little wobbly, but he endures it. Shiro sees that wasn't wearing his paladin armor but one of the suits designated for the healing pods.

  
He suddenly feels a jolt of pain on his right shoulder and a heaviness all around his right arm - the arm made of alien tech.

 

His whole arm gives way and Shiro collapses, crashing into the boxes.

 

The loud sound echoes throughout the cargo ship.

Shiro groans in pain as he tries to reorient his fallen limbs into more comfortable positions.

  
  


_Where was Lance? Did something happen to him? Where--_

  
  


The door of the ship slides open and a person in weird gray-white armor and a very familiar military green jacket step in.

 

They were carrying a backpack, a helmet was adorned on their head and obscuring Shiro’s view of the person’s face.

In their arms were unmarked crates that looked quite heavy that the person looked like they were having trouble carrying it.

  


Shiro was on high alert and instinctually goes into a defensive stance with his arm ready, but he can feel that there was no spark of energy - no power flowing into his arm.

A cold dread settled into the pit of his stomach as the Fight and Flight responses in his head go on overdrive as he focuses on the stranger.

 

Shiro is suddenly closing the gap between him and the person in the suit.

The person suddenly turns their head to face Shiro. They drop the crate in a shock and scramble to remove their helmet.

  


Shiro stops when he sees blue eyes and messy brown hair. He goes down on his knees again as adrenaline leaves his system.

  


“Shiro! It’s me!” Lance goes down with him, hands on his shoulders to try and keep him steady.

“L-Lance?” Shiro can see how pale Lance looks. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was unkempt. “Just… just a couple of doboshes - How long did you let me sleep?”

 

“A month… or two? Being on the run kinda makes me lose track of time?” Lance is trying hard to inject humor into the situation knowing that he was in the wrong for delaying the inevitable of not talking to his boyfriend.

Shiro falls into Lance’s arms, exhausted - emotionally and physically.

 

“You have to tell me now… from the beginning, Lance,”  Shiro says in a tired voice. “What is going on?”

  


“You won’t like it…” Lance sounded far away and sad.

“I have to know Lance,” Shiro looks up into Lance’s face, sad blue eyes stare back at him.

 

“I love you, Shiro… Always know that.” Lance leans forward and kisses his forehead.

“I love you too, Lance… Never doubted that for a second,” Shiro says as he reaches out and touches the burn on Lance’s cheek - the one he was 100% sure he inflicted on him.

 

“It started when Lotor got news about Haggar’s whereabouts…”

 

* * *

 

Shiro’s sleeping form slumps backward into the soft pillows of his bed.

 

“KEITH!?! WHAT DID YOU JUST--”

“I’m sorry, Lance…” Keith said quietly. In his hand was one of the small darts that contained a strong but safe sedative that Coran and Hunk created only weeks before - to use on the other Shiro.

 

Lance looks at Keith sadly before turning his gaze back at Shiro whose face has relaxed again.

That agonizing and tortured look was washed away by slumber.

 

“Keith, I'm sorry I shouted-”

“It's okay… I forgive you,” Keith interrupted him immediately. “I just didn't want to see him in such pain--” Keith felt tears start to form as he looked at dart in his hands. He throws it towards Shiro’s empty desk and wraps an arm around Lance.  


 

_Is this what Lance felt when he took that shot?_

 

The memory of the last couple of days was still fresh in Keith’s mind.

 

It was because of that damned mission into Haggar's base of operations, to stop her once and for all.

 

It was all going well.

 

_...too well._

 

********

 

With the combined information gathered by Lotor and the Blade, they were able to create a full map to the location of Haggar's laboratory and the general layout of the structure.

 

The team made their way into the compound, knocking down as many enemies as they can with their Lions and once they landed on the planet it was all hands on deck to fight their way towards Haggar.

  


They were near the antechamber of the building - that was when things started to go downhill.

Shiro stumbled suddenly, falling face first to the ground. Keith thought he was injured badly from an encounter and they quickly get him to a safe place.

 

As they approach Shiro, Haggar suddenly appeared before them and the next thing they knew Shiro was fighting them.

Shiro was shouting, screaming in pain as he struck them.

 

It was obvious to anyone that Haggar found a way to control Shiro.

 

Much to Lance’s grief, they had to retreat for the meantime. They need a new plan.

 

Haggar made her escape with Shiro by her side as her personal guard.

 

When everyone finally regrouped back in the Castleship, Lance was still freaking out about leaving Shiro behind with Haggar. 

It took a lot of talking from Keith and Allura to calm him down while Pidge was speculating to Lotor about how Haggar took control of Shiro.

 

Lotor theorized that the spell must've been placed on him during his initial imprisonment. That Haggar has been biding her time until she could use her trump card. 

Pidge added that the spell could've been embedded into the code of his arm - that she has a copy of Shiro's code and if given enough time, she can make a bug that will be able to purge it out.

 

Pidge only had one issue: her bug must be manually uploaded into Shiro's arm - that means they needed a way to subdue him.

Coran suggested that they use the aerosol anesthesia in the healing pods to make the base of a more fast-acting sedative and simply knock Shiro out as soon as possible.

 

That would still mean getting close to Shiro to administer the sedative.

 

Lance, who finally calmed down enough to analyze the situation, suggest they make into a sleep dart and he might be able to shoot Shiro.

  
  


Coran and Hunk begin working on the sleeping dart while Pidge finalizes her bug.

Lotor, Allura, Kolivan, Keith, and Lance have a meeting on how to catch Haggar and rescue Shiro.

 

 

Allura has Shiro’s location locked via his Paladin Armor. Haggar has traveled quite a distance, and the signal is getting weaker by the quintant.

Kolivan informs them that the captured Druids have provided information on where Haggar will hide next. There is a large Galran ship hidden away in an asteroid belt nearby that has been refitted into a factory of sorts.

 

Lotor stares down at Lance and Keith when it becomes his turn. He lets Allura hold his hand for support as he begins his piece.

 

Lotor explains that Haggar’s mind control can run deep. There is little chance that Shiro will be able to snap out of it on his own - that his entire being is now under the influence of the witch and he will not hesitate and kill those who Haggar wishes to be dead.

 

Lotor wants both Keith and Lance - Shiro’s closest friend and Shiro’s lover - to be very aware that the Back-Up Plan will be killing Shiro because capturing Haggar takes Top Priority overall.

Keith looks at Lance as his eyes turn cold as ice. Keith is angry too, he feels the flames of his fury deep within and he knows that it shows on his face.

 

He prays that it won’t come to that - he will do his best to free Shiro from the Galra once and for all.

 

He puts a hand on Lance’s shoulder in solidarity.

They both carry this burden, but they will both do all that they can to save Shiro.

 

********

 

Lance and Keith tuck Shiro back in bed again, comb his hair and wipe away the sweat of his face.

They do it in silence, keeping it quiet as so that Shiro continues to rest.

 

A soft knock and the hissing noise causes Lance and Keith to turn their attention to the door.

It was Allura.

 

“Lance, Keith… How’s Shiro?” Allura doesn’t step into the room, she remains standing by the doorway.

“He woke up a couple of minutes ago, but he was still too weak and we insisted he should rest some more,” Lance explains, seated on the bed.

 

“That’s… good to hear,” Allura says with a sigh of relief, “I came here to inform you that we are about to start a meeting, we have finished combing through the laboratory’s database and we need to decide on certain… conclusions…”

Lance was picking up that there was something off with Allura’s tone and voice.

 

Lance had a sinking feeling that he knew what this meeting was about.

Keith is trying to read the room, at the sudden tension in Lance’s body language - like he was ready for a fight.

 

Keith speaks up, “I’m going to stay here until Shiro wakes up…”

 

Without another word, Lance leaves with Allura.

 

During the whole walk towards the Command Center, Lance and Allura continue keeping the silence.

 

Lotor, Coran, Hunk, and Pidge are already in the room waiting for them.

Lance takes his seat at the furthest end of the couch while Allura continues to walk towards the center of the room, by Lotor’s side.

 

She looks at everyone in the room carefully. Lance can feel the coldness in her voice.

 

“What do we do with the Shiro clone?”

 

.

.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout Out to the awesome Shancers on Discord!! Y'all are beautiful and thanks for the encouragement!
> 
> Check out both my tumblr accounts - my [main](https://silly-jilly-bean.tumblr.com) and my [writing](https://uriel-ignatius121.tumblr.com) one.
> 
> I also have my [Shance side blog](https://cooler-than-space.tumblr.com) for anyone interested.
> 
> I am more active on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Silly_Jillybean) nowadays, feel free to follow me there!

**Author's Note:**

> Heya~ hope y'all enjoy this little thing that took me all night to write. I think that was obvious.  
> Leave some comments or suggestions, click kudos to show some love!
> 
> Check out both my tumblr accounts - my [main](https://silly-jilly-bean.tumblr.com) and my [writing](https://uriel-ignatius121.tumblr.com) one for updates on anything I'm working on...


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